Press

HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE
Directed by Michael Stevens and Produced by George Stevens, Jr.
Traces Career and Influence of Washington Post Cartoonist Herb Block

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 21, 2013, WASHINGTON, DC – AFI DOCS presented by Audi announced today its gala presentation at the Newseum of the Washington, DC premiere of HERBLOCK: THE BLACK & THE WHITE written and directed by Michael Stevens and produced by George Stevens Jr. The film, traces the career and influence of the most influential political cartoonist of the 20th century and the people who became his subjects during his 55 years at the Washington Post. His work spanned thirteen presidents, contributed to the downfall of Senator Joseph McCarthy and President Richard Nixon and garnered three Pulitzer Prizes and the Medal of Freedom.

In the film, Ben Bradlee, Tom Brokaw, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Jules Feiffer, Ted Koppel, Eugene Robinson, Tom Friedman, David Brooks, Gwen Ifill, Rick Hertzberg, Victor Navasky and Richard Cohen give first-hand accounts of Block's life and work. Jon Stewart and Lewis Black explore the place of political satire in American life. The filmmakers and many subjects are expected to be in attendance at the screening.

"It is an honor to celebrate HERBLOCK in the city he called home," said AFI President and CEO Bob Gazzale. "AFI DOCS goal is to catalyze change through art, and this film is a powerful portrait of a man who symbolized this power across decades."

In addition to the gala screening, AFI DOCS will be hosting a Catalyst Session on the subject of Humor in Politics inspired by the film. George Stevens Jr., Co-Chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Founder of AFI in the White House Rose Garden in 1968, Oscar and Emmy winning filmmaker and long-time producer of the Kennedy Center Honors will be among the featured panelists.

As previously announced, AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) returns for its 11th edition June 19-23, 2013. After a decade at the celebrated AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD, the festival will build upon the success of Silverdocs with a presentation of screenings and events at iconic venues on the National Mall and in the Penn Quarter area, as well as continue its full slate of programming at the American Film Institute's AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.

Info on full programming, screening schedules, registration and passes will be released in the coming days and posted at AFI.com/AFIDOCS.

About AFI DOCS presented by Audi
AFI DOCS presented by Audi (formerly Silverdocs) is an internationally recognized event that honors excellence in filmmaking, supports the diverse voices and free expression of independent storytellers and celebrates the power of documentary to improve our understanding of the world. Now in its 11th year, the festival is embarking on a transformational chapter in its history with an expansion into landmark Washington, DC venues and with the AFI Catalyst Sessions which serve as stimuli for national public discourse and an opportunity to engage our nations leaders with filmmakers striving to shine a light on the greatest issues of today. The festival historically has attracted over 27,000 documentary enthusiasts, policy-makers and thought leaders. Visit AFI.com/AFIDOCS and connect on twitter.com/AFIDocs, facebook.com/AFIDocs and youtube.com/AFI.

About the American Film InstituteAFI is America's promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts. AFI programs include the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and AFI Archive , which preserve film heritage for future generations; the AFI Life Achievement Award – the highest honor for a career in film – now in its 41st year; AFI Awards , honoring the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year; AFI's 100 YEARS...100 MOVIES television events and movie reference lists, which have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers; year-round and special event exhibition through AFI Fest presented by Audi , AFI Docs presented by Audi and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center ; and educating the next generation of storytellers at the world renowned AFI Conservatory , renowned for the quality of its instructors and speakers, and its notable alumni.

About Audi
Audi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. Audi was a top-performing luxury brand in Europe during 2012, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Through 2016, AUDI AG will invest about $17 billion on new products, facilities and technologies. Visit audiusa.com or audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.